The Boveney-Dorney Montagues

Whether there is a connection between the Aristocratic Montague's just discussed and those of the village of Boveney is a point in dispute. There is at least one genealogy that purports a link, but it has been called a fraud by others. It is possible that this is a junior branch of the family, but it is interesting that they would have wound up in such an inconsequential village. If the link exists, then (1) Richard Montague, below, was the son of Sir John Montagu and Maud Fraunics.

This family is sometimes referred to as the Boveney and Dorney Montagues. Dorney is another village near Boveney.

Boveney

A village or hamlet in the parish of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England (with the many changes in boudaries in the last thirty years, it may now be in Berkshire). It is located along the north side of the Thames river in the still unspoiled countryside and called, in at least one source, a 'rural idyll.' Windsor castle and the village and school of Eton are just downriver. See the Montague Millenium page for photos of the Burnham church in Boveney.

In 1798 the Posse Comitatus made a census of the men between the ages of 16 and 60 in Burnham Parish. Boveney had an adult male population of 36. The earliest government census, that of 1801, listed 165 inhabitants in 33 families living in 28 houses in Boveney.

Boveney is believed to mean 'above-island' deriving from the old english bufan-ege. This is probable as there is a small island in the Thames below the village.

He married Unknown. Montacute is the Latin spelling of the English name Montague. In some descents he is shown as the brother of Sir Thomas Montague, above. Certainly the Boveney clan made the claim of an association with the aristocratic Montague family. Note, however, that in the time of King Henry VIII, when Sir Thomas Montacute died leaving no male issue, his estate was divided between his three sisters. Richard apparently predeceased Thomas and, as far as we know, died unmarried and without issue. I provide, however, the "supposed" descent from Richard as it has previously been known.

If we believe he existed at all, he was born in 1429. He married unknown.

Richard Montague and Robert Montacute, below, both bore the same Coat of Arms. The Coat of Arms of Montague – Boveney & Dorney – were: “Argent, three fusils in fess gules (red diamonds), between three pellets or ogresses (black discs) on a silver shield. The crest was a Golden Griffin, from the ancient arms, with outstretched wings and a ribbon of alternate Red & White bands. The motto was “DISPONDEDO ME, NON MUTANDO ME”. Reference: Edmondson’s Heraldry & Burke’s Encyclopedia of Heraldry.

The three black ogresses were added to the Coat of Arms passed down by Sir Simon Montague to denote the Boveney & Dorney branches of the family. Other branches of the family made other alterations. The ogresses Black may have been added for differences in a family, or they may have been added to mark some deed done at some time, such as a large donation of land to the church, as the church at Boveney bears such a record. Perhaps they may have been added as part of the maternal arms of William Montague, son of Robert, for his mother was Margaret, dau. of Roger Cotton. And the arms of one family of Cotton were, “Argent a bend Sable between three ogresses.” Whatever may have been the origin of the pellets, the fact still remains, that the Boveney family bear the Arms of Sir Simon Montague of A.D. 1300, which arms were also born by his son lord William Montacute and by his grandson the first Earl of Salisbury. Heraldry, or more properly Armory, is the short hand of History, its purpose was to identify persons and property and to record descent and alliance. Hundreds of persons may be entitled to the same initials, may possess precisely the same names; but only the members of a particular family can lawfully bear certain armorial ensigns, and the various branches of even that family have their separate differences to distinguish one from the other. The Boveney family bear the same name as the descendants of Drogo. They were residing in A.D. 1500 in the same locality and country of England where the descendants of Drogo had held possessions and manors in A.D. 1400 and for centuries before. They bear the same Arms which alone would seem to silently but surely denote that they are a branch of the same family. Where and when the separation took place is not known, but it would seem probable that the Boveney branch left the main stream, after the year 1300 and before the year 1400, or between those dates, for their Coat of Arms was not in existence until adopted by Sir Simon Montacute A.D. 1300, and had they separated previous to that date, their Arms should have been “Azure a griffin sergeant, Or.” Again the Arms of the Montagues, after A.D. 1400, who were descended from the 3rd Earl of Salisbury, have been quartered with those of the Monthermers, which were “an eagle displayed, vert,” while the Boveney branch retains the ancient shield of Sir Simon Montacute (1301). There are several places where such separation seems possible. The spelling change of the name seems to be consistent after Edward. Some list Edward as Montacute and others as Montague.

He was born in 1455 in Boveney. He died in 1520. He married unknown. The connection between Richard Montacute and Robert Montague was supplied by Robert Latane Montague III of Alexandria, Virginia [see Montagues in Virginia page]. He was Trustee of the Montague Memorial Association. It came from a Genealogical Chart hanging in the Urbanna, Virginia home of the late Governor of Virginia, Andrew Jackson Montague. The research and chart was commissioned by his son General Robert Latane Montague II.

He resided at Boveney, in the parish of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, a hamlet on the Thames, just above Eton college and twenty-three miles from London. On the opposite side of the river in Berkshire is Windsor Castle.

The second son of William Montague. See below for Karen Repko's comments on his age at the time of his father's death.

The Yeomen Montague's of Boveney

"The following descent, from William Montague to Richard and Peter who went to America, was obtained by Mr. William H. Montague of Boston - one of the founders, and for many years Secretary of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. He employed H. G. Somerby, Esq., an eminent genealogist, and an American resident in London, who made verbatim copy of the Pedigree of this family from 1550 from the Records in the Herald's College, London, and also went to Boveney, Buckinghamshire, and compared and copied the Parish Records, thus bringing the pedigree down to the year 1634." - from the "History and Genealogy of the Montague Family of America," compiled by George William Montague, Williams Press, Amherst, 1886

Much of the earlier material is more debatable and any link with the aristocratic Montague’s should be treated as “hopeful” rather than documented.

The records in the College of Arms show an assumption of the Montague-style arms as displayed in the 1634 visitation of Buckinghamshire. The herald did not trick the arms as verified and no grant of arms has ever been recorded for this family. Nor is there any registered Montague of Boveney pedigree on record at the College of Arms. They are absent from the 1554 and 1589 visitations, which indicates the recent assumption of the Montagu arms prior to 1634.

Pedigree and arms of Montague of Boveney entered at the heralds' visitation of Buckinghamshire of 1634. It mentions Peter Montague 'now in Virginia.' From “The College of Arms.”

Considered by many to be the earliest Montague of which we can be certain. See the Montague visitation, above.

Sometimes claimed to be the second son of William Montague, he was born in 1505 in Boveney. He was listed as an overseer in the will of one William Montague, listed as a "fysshermen" of Boveney. The issue has been whether William, the testator, was his father or his employer. Karen Repko, citing an article by Myrtle S. Hyde, writes,

"In the proved will of "Will'm Mountagewe the Elder of Boveney in the p'r'she of Burnh'm" the question is not one of employment, but purely one of descent. The will clearly states that "Robt'e Mountagewe of Boveney" was an overseer of William's will, but the will also states that the "Robt'e Mountagewe my yongist Sonne" named as an executor along with his mother was a minor child when his father died ("Robt' Mountague my youngiste sonne, Robt's noneage ") ... the will was drawn up (written the 16th day of March 1550/1) and five days later William died. This means that the son Robert named in the will as the executor was less than 14 years of age at the time the will was drawn up. The Robert Montague who married Margaret Cotton was born in 1505, therefore he was middle aged (45 years old) when this will was signed and executed. He could not be the Robert who was the son of the testator as he was too old. There may be a family connection, but not as father and son. Clearly the wording of the will indicates that there were two Robert Montagues, one the minor child, and the second acting as the overseer for the estate.
"

"A further point to ponder about the will, is that William names his elder sonne "Will'm Mountagewe of Bray my eldyst sonne" as such in his bequest to him and specifies that he is his son...he does the same with "Robt'e Mountagewe my yongist Sonne", but only refers to Robert the overseer as "Robt'e Mountagewe of Bovney", he does not name him son as he has the others. I hope this further helps you to understand why this will is not acceptable in bridging the gap in generations between the Salisbury Montacuto line and the Boveney line of Montagues."

They were tenent farmers who held a feoffee (30 acres of land) from the Lord of Cippenham in Buckinghamshire. They may have assumed the name Montague around the early 1500's. It has even been claimed that they were originally from a family group named Elot in Berkshire.

Robert Montague of Boveney in the Parish of Bernham married Margaret, the daughter of Roger Cotton [Coton, Caton] of Wardville (probably Warfield), in county Berkshire. This was probably in about 1528.

He was named in the Cippenham manor court roll in three entries.

"To this Court came Robert Mountagewe and Received from the Lord [of the manor] one virgate of land [about 30 acres] called Bouveis, formerly in the tenure of William Ingby, to the said Robert Mountagewe and William Mountagewe his son and to Robert Mountagewe son of the same William for the term of their lives, Rendering therefore anually fourteen Shillings, And the aforesaid Robert Mountagewe gave to the Lord for a fine £10 and did fealty and they were admitted tenants thereof.

Robert Mountagewe de Boveney begged permission to lease all his customary lands which he held of the Lord by Copy of Court Roll in Boveney and Dorney to William Montagewe his son, and this was Granted.

Robert Mountagewe of Boveney received from the Lord one virgate of land called Boll [?] -- and one Close called Mollyns Buttes [?], lying in Dorney and Boveney, to the said Robert Mountagewe and William Mountagewe his son and to Robert Mountagewe, son of the same William, for the terms of their lives, Rendering Annually to the Lord, eighteen shillings and sixpence, And the aforesaid Robert Mountagewe gave to the Lord for a fine £10 and did fealty and they were admitted tenants thereof."

The above, and much other wonderful data on the Montague family, may be found at Pam's Genealogy Page.

From the research of Susan P. Canney:

"Robert's wife apparently predeceased him, as she is not named in his will. According to her grandson William, the informant of the 1634 visitation pedigree, Margaret's father was Roger Catton of 'Wardville,' Berkshire. The town is probably Warfield, only five miles southwest from Boveney.

Only one manor court roll has been found that mentions Robert. It is the Cippenham roll, dated 9 February 1572/3, and it has three relevant entries:

1. To this Court came Robert Mountagewe and Received from the Lord [of the Manor] one virgate of land [about 30 acres] called [?] Bouveis, formerly in the tenure of Willaam Ingby, to the said Robert Mountagewe and William Mountagewe his son and to Robert Mountagewe son of the same William for the term of their lives, Rendering therefore annually {?] fourteen Shillings [faded], And the aforesaid Robert Mountagewe gave to the Lord for a fine f10 and did fealty and they were admitted tenants thereof.

2. Robert Mountagewe de Boveney begged permission to lease all his customary lands which he held of the Lord by Copy of Court Roll in Boveney and Dorney to William Montagewe his son, and this was Granted.

3. Robert Mountagewe of Boveney received from the Lord one virgate of land called [?] Boll - and one close called [?] Mollyns Buttes, lying in Dorney and Boveney, to the said Robert Mountagewe and William Mountagewe his son and to Robert Mountagewe, son of the same William, for the terms of their lives, Rendering Annually to the Lord, eighteen shillings and sixpence, And the aforesaid Robert Mountagewe gave to the Lord for a fine f10 and did fealty and they were admitted tenants thereof.

On 7 September 1575 Robert spent hours with his friend Walter Dalye and detailed his last will and testament. His will is long and he named many family members. First was his eldest son William, then his other son Lawrence. Granddaughter Elizabeth, daughter of William, and 'the reste' of William's children, received the next bequest. Lawrence had been married for only a few months, so as yet had no children. Robert then named the children of his daughter who had married a man surnamed Hore. Following these were the children of his daughter Katheren, four by her first husband John Golding and one by her second husband Roger Lutman. Susan[?] Wheveld received the next bequest in the will, one comparable to those received by the grandchildren. She was likely a married granddaughter, but this is unascertained. Robert also named two more daughters: Johan and the children of her and her husband John Look, and Agnes with her husband Richard Garmond and their children.

Robert was buried in the Burnham churchyard on 19 January 1575/6. His heirs were in no rush for probate and waited to take care of the matter until spring. The date of probate was 18 May 1576."

The second son of Robert Montague. He was born in about 1536 in Boveney, Buckingham, England. He married Margaret Malthouse, daughter of John Malthouse (Malthus) of Binfield, Berkshire, on 27 May 1560. He died and his will was probated on 20 March 1594/95 in Buckinghamshire, England. His estate was left to his eldest surviving son, William.

He was baptized on 18 April 1562 at Burnham, Buckingham, the son of William Montague and Margaret Malthouse. He married Elizabeth Barnes. He was admitted to Kings College, Cambridge on 4 Sep 1581. He received his B.A. in 1585/6 and an M.A. in 1589. He was a Fellow at Cambridge between 1584 and 1595. He was granted his father's estate on 20 March 1594/5. He was living in 1634. He probably died after 1640. No children are known.

He was baptized on 14 September 1567 at Burnham, Buckinghamshire. He first married Joan. She might be Joan Maston, sister of Thomas Maston. Thomas Maston in his 1617 will named "my Brother George Mountague of Boveney Bucks." George married Susan Norris after 1626. He died and was buried on 11 September 1640 in Burnham. His children were,
(17) William Montague
(17) Richard Montague
(17) Robert Montague
(17) Elizabeth Montague
(17) Anne Montague
(17) Peter Montague

The youngest son of William, he was born circa 1573 in Boveney Parish, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England. He married Eleanor (Helen/Ellen) Allen, the daughter of William Allen and Ellen Coyne of Burnham, in about 1602 in Burnham. He died and his will was proved on 16 March 1638/9 in Warfield, Berkshire county, England.

He was baptized on 6 March 1596/7 in Boveney Parish. He inherited the Boveney estate, I assume his uncle William died without an heir, and then sold part of it to Thomas Eyre of East Burnham prior to 1606. This sale of portions of the estate may have been an indicator of a change in the family fortunes and the incentive for the immigration of both Peter and Richard, his brothers, as the land left to the estate may have not been adaquate enough to support the entire family any longer.

He died after 1655/6. His children were,
(18) George Montague (1634)
(18) William Montague (c1635)
(18) Robert Montague (c1636)

He was born in about 1612 in Boveney Parish, Burnham, Buckingham, England. He married and had, per the visitation, 4 sons. Two of these were named in his mother's will, William and Henry. He died before 165/6.

He was born in about 1545 in Boveney. The Vicar of Dorney, Buckinghamshire from 1572 to 1580. He married Joan [Johanna] Radcliffe [Rackley] of Wycombe, Bucks on 30 May 1575. Dorney is 2 ½ miles west of Eton. He died and was buried on 17 December 1589 at Dorney. He left a will that named his sons, Richard and William, his wife, Joan, and "his brother Will'm Montague." Lawrence's children were,
(16) Richard Montague (1575)
(16) William Montague (1578), who died young.

He was born in Dorney and baptized on 18 November 1575 in Norwich Cathedral. He was educated at Eton and King's college, Cambridge. A celebrated divine, and bishop of Norwich. Lord Bishop of Chichester and, in 1638, the Bishop of Norwich.

Having entered into holy orders he was presented to the living of Wotten Courtney in Somerset, afterward he became Rector of Stamford Rivers in Essex. In 1616 he was made Dean of Hereford. In 1628 he was consecrated Bishop of Chichester, and translated in 1638 to the See of Norwich, "Together with his fellowship at Eaton, he held by dispensation a Canonry of Windsor. In the Chapel there, he preached the theological lectures for eight years successively." Wood's Ath. Oxe. He was also for a time Parson of Petworth. He was chaplain to King James I., who remained his firm friend. His published works were numerous.

As a churchman, he opposed both Puritans and Roman Catholics. In one of his controversies he wrote a book "Appello Caesarem," for which he was summoned before the House of Commons on a charge of maintaining Arminean and popish errors. He was censured by the Speaker and was obliged to give bail of £2000, for his appearance. His books were ordered to be burned by the common hangman. His bail bond was signed by the Duke of Buckingham and his sister. Though prosecuted by parliament, the King (James) remained his friend and patron and continued to advance him to higher preferments.

At Eton college he assisted Sir Henry Savile and in 1610 edited several orations of St. Gregory Nazianzen which were published that year. The history of Eton college says of him, " that he was admitted Fellow in 1613, was connected with the Greek press at Eton, and revised the proof sheets of St. Chrysostom."

Laud describes him as a "very good scholar and a right honest man, a man every way able to do God, his Majesty, and the church of England great service." James I., no mean judge, considered him competent to enter the lists against such formidable opponents as Cardinal Baronius and John Selden, at different times.

The last years of Montague's life were spent in what he describes as the effort "to stand in the gappe against Puritanisme and Popery, the Scilla and Charybdis of ancient piety." A sermon preached by him as Canon of Windsor, before the King in 1621, aroused the suspicions of the Puritan party who accused him of supporting the Invocation of Saints. His vindication of the sermon showed that he was not to be daunted by threats, and he wrote to his friend Cosin: "Me temerarium, that provokes enimyes on all sides, Puritans, Papists, Lawyers, hell and all. 'Dulichii Samiique et quos tulit alta Zacynthus, Turba ruunt in me.' So you heare, so you say ..... I am redy not only to be bound but suv h ewl to dye for the church. I shall never faile the church of England but usque ad aras do my best to uphold the doctrine and discipline there."

Three years later Montague fell into controversy with the Romanists, in consequence of his having found some of their emissaries attempting to make proselytes in his county parish. Fuller says of him, that "his great parts were attended with a tartness of writing; very sharp the nib of his pen, and much gall mingled in his ink, against such as opposed him. However such the equability of the sharpness of his style, he was impartial therein; be he ancient or modern writer, papist or protestant, that stood in his way, they should all equally taste thereof." In speaking of the Roman "Gag for the new Gospell," Montague says, "answere it I have, bitterly and tartly I confesse, which I did purposely, because the asse deserved so to be rub'd." It so happened however that his mode of conducting the controversy infuriated the Puritans even more than his Romanist antagonists, as he surrendered, without a blow, many positions which had hitherto been warmly contested. Like the earlier English Reformers, he appealed to Holy Scripture as interpreted by the Primitive church and General Councils, but he did so with a wider knowledge of Patristic theology than any of them had possessed. He refused to brand the Pope as Antichrist; he defended the use of the sign of the cross, of images, and of auricular confession; and he maintained high views as to the efficacy of the Sacraments.

Montague was protected from his enemies by the influence of the King and by the dissolution of Parliament. His utter repudiation of Calvanism would at one time, have got him into trouble at Court, but, such is the irony of fate, he was appointed Bishop of Chichester in 1628, on the death of Carleton. This was four years after his resignation of the Eton Fellowship.

He was an excellent scholar, and Selden himself, his great antagonist, owns him to have been a man well skilled in ancient learning. He died of the ague, April 13, 1641, and was buried in his own Cathedral at Norwich. He had a son Richard, and a daughter married to D. Stokes, D. D.

A village in Buckinghamshire, England, perched high on a Chiltern Hill overlooking the valley of the River Wye. It was the site of a Roman lookout point. In Saxon times the area was owned by King Harold and the look-out point on what is still named Beacon Hill kept a small garrison. Local men were often called to defend an island fort, Shaftsey on the Thames at Hedsor.

After the Norman Conquest in 1066 the de la Penne family, thought to be Norman, became lords of the manor and the family built a small wooden church at what is now known as Church Knoll. In 1222 Nicholas de la Penne was hanged for murdering a neighbour and part of his estate was given to Baron Stephen de Segrave.

By the 14th century the clay deposits in the area led to Penn becoming famous as a centre for producing floor tiles, many of which can still be seen today in Windsor Castle (visible from Beaon Hill), the Tower of London and Westminster Palace.

When Henry VIII was on the throne he appointed Sybil Penne as foster mother to the future Edward VI and rewarded her with land and property in the area, including Penn Church. Sybil's ghost is said to haunt Hampton Court to this day.

In the 17th century William Penn, who was to found Pennsylvania, and George Fox held big Quaker meetings at the home of William Penn's future wife, who lived in a large old house on the common.

I recently received the following email from another Montague family researcher.

"Hi Steve

Ref the Hissem Boveney Montague section on your website……mainly wanted to say thank you for your website as one section has helped me sort out an issue I had with the family trace and that was with William of Bray and his son William of Waddesdon. I picked up the will of William of Waddesdon and Bray and was able to verify the link between the two and add several names to my tree which were not showing on the parish records! The reason for the search is that my mother was a Montague and my grandfather was one of ten Montague children in Tooting London. Have since traced the family back to Waddesdon and now to Boveney. It was from your website that I first realised that they were related and this does prove that William moved from Boveney to Waddesdon.

In two months I have learned a massive amount and I did delve deeply into the supposed descent claimed by the American branch of the Montagues and I do agree with you that the descent claimed is unwarranted and the Will of William dated 1550/51 does not prove that he was the father of Robert Mountague, as much as I would like it to. My own tree does now reflect this but does carry Robert and his sons/daughters but with an unknown father but what is interesting is the missing family as mentioned in the Buckinghamshire certificate of muster for 1522 which to date I cannot place as their family relationship is not known, at least to me anyway. I would guess this point has been raised by others in the past but I cannot find any reference to them other than in the muster and seemingly ignored by the American branch which is a pity.

Something else has recently come to light while I was checking the records for Berkshire and this was how numerous the Winkfield branch is as the earliest will is also dated to 1551 so Thomas Mountague senior could also have a birth date of about 1480 as well as William of Boveney. This fact does not appear anywhere on the internet and has been on my mind a lot recently but with no tangible proof of connection to Boveney but being so close to each other I can reasonably assume that they are. With this is mind, do you have any further info that may help? If so have you considered updating the website to cover this? It’s unlikely there will be any additional records to help support the connection and it is deeply frustrating but I will be requesting a copy of the will of Thomas next week so hopefully there will be something in his will that helps.

One other interesting snippet…..I understand that there was a Sir John Mountague, bastard of Salisbury who was serving in France in 1453 and that his family is almost unknown, I would love to know what his coat of arms are being a bastard of Salisbury. I may well contact the royal college of arms one day to find out what records they have, there will be a cost but it may well be worth it as this could be the link that I am looking for."